I’ve already mailed in my ballot, and I volunteered to be a poll worker (though they haven’t gotten in touch). With a week (maybe two) to go before we get the result, I feel caught in a limbo. It feels more important to me to be copying my important documents and organizing go-bags to be ready for a crisis than it does to do anything at work. I also recognize that that is probably a reaction to stress and anxiety and isn’t helping me. That said, I’m part of many groups that the right-wing hates and is openly threatening, so feeling unsafe doesn’t feel unreasonable either.
How are you all holding up out there? And tips for me to deal with this better?
Not great… I’m not a US citizen yet so voting isn’t possible. Only thing I could do is vote with my feet… so I moved out of Texas for good earlier this year. I think my current location is as safe as it gets in regards to avoiding political violence (since I’m not exactly in a group that the right isn’t threatening) so there’s that
Other than that? Nothing… If the worst happens I’ll just hole-up in the building and ask my boss for permission to work from home
I feel you on voting with your feet. I left beet-red Indiana for a Democratic-leaning swing state a few years ago. And yet, once you get outside the city by just a few minutes, it’s Trump signs everywhere. Doesn’t feel very reassuring.
It’s cliche to talk about moving to Canada after a US election, but I have started to collect my passport and papers and look at multiple countries for ease of entry, in case shit hits the fan.
If you don’t have a valuable skill/trade or family to sponsor you, moving to another country is not typically an option for most people. Also probably the worst time to move to Canada as there is a growing anti immigrant sentiment.
Fortunately, I have advanced degrees and an internationally recognized professional certification, and my partner is a doctor. I don’t imagine emigrating would be easy by any stretch, but I think we’d have better odds than if we didn’t have those credentials.
Good point on Canada. I’ve also been looking at Panama or Costa Rica. Europe may be an option (I work in clean energy and remember Macron’s outreach to climate scientists after Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement), but may be harder.